The Dragonboys (sampler)
by Oshidoshi
Summary: (This is a sample of a few chapters) Cast into the world of sexual prostitution at the tender age of seven, Chance has seen it all. As years pass and Chance grows older, he sees the helldom that is the cursed city he now calls home. With his band of brothers, they cultivate a plan to escape and extract revenge upon those whom tortured them. The end is never nigh for a Dragon.
1. Asminihike

It's kind of nice when you think about it

Letting go of your fears,

Basking in accomplishments

But then you realize

It is all futile

What am I saying?

I am becoming tired again.

If you lived in a brothel, you'd be tired all the time too.

I clutched the black covers as hard as I could. It helped somewhat against his wild thrusting. I kept my mouth shut and muffled my cries. Nobody would help me tonight. I was alone with the monster.

You still don't get what's happening?

I'm being fucked in the ass by this silver-haired liar! He betrayed my feelings and made me a...

Dare I say it?

He made me a dragon whore.

I'll tell you how my life became like this. I will tell you how and why it took a turn for the worse.

I used to be a good dragon

But when Bad Chance comes knocking

Everything changes.

Let me take you on a journey

It's not for faint hearted humans like you.

My journey is full of pain but happiness

Rue and woe

Blah blah blah

Like that big ol' book says, everything happens for a reason. I hope this is another one of God's plans (the ones where something tragic befalls somedragon and they become stronger because of it). Tisk tisk **risk**.

Keep reading

Sincerely,

Chanceus Karrucci


	2. Bread

The attack had him winded. Falling from such a high place caused him to black out. After the bleeding subsided in his head and his body weaved itself back to normal, Chance decided to make the long journey home. However, he hasn't a clue of his current location. Everything looks the same. Everything looks surreal and fake. The dragons were long gone from his sight. It might take his mother a very long time to find him, and with Bright Star vying for power of the council, she might not find him at all. He wobbly stood to his feet, feeling the crushed blades of grass under his feet. The forest was haunting, cold. The eerie sounds of night creatures became the music in the air. Crickets, PiuFrogs, undead squirrels and all sorts of creatures made their squabbles audible.

Chance cautiously took a step forward.

Nothing.

So he took another step.

Nothing.

Chance found it odd that no dragons inhabited the forest. A single dragon could help him by delivering his distress call to his mother, but no. There were no dragons here. He was all alone with the creatures of night.

He kept walking, picking at his nails and keeping to himself. Nervousness crept up like a slithering serpent, ready to make him jolt.

The light became brighter at the forest's end, and Chance hurried out of the creepy bundle of trees.

It was a large field that was laid out before him. Beautiful in the night, he surrendered his emotions to it.

"Beautiful," he said breathlessly.

Under the blue phantasmal moon, the grass blades had been painted black. The dandelions became white puffballs that swayed with the midnight wind. Pollen floated like rose petals as they were carried off by the strong wind gusts. The open field was surrounded by the two forests that became blackened silhouettes in the night. Wandering alone, Chance found the grass and dirt comforting to him. Alone and so far away from home, he wandered aimlessly.

The second forest was more inviting. It was filled with the songs of distant bugs. Crickets, most notably, and a few late night cicadas. Chance happily skipped and hopped through this forest, but he stopped when he reached the forest's end.

He thought for a moment, taking a glace back at the forest path. He stepped through the doorway made by the intertwined tree branches.

Chance smiled a bit.

Greeting his sights was a beautiful castle resting atop a tiny mountain.

This was Crota, a small village run by Mayor Overture and his sons. Lyle was headstrong and was involved with building Crota's main castle. Chance was surprised at the architecture of the domicile. Tiny blue orbs glowed on it's brick-and-stone exterior, giving it an alien glow. The castle rested atop the medium-sized mountain the locals call "The Baby's Mouth." Golden flames floated from the city's main district and fireworks dotted the sky in vibrant flame-covered lights.

Chance reached the elegant city when the moon began to slowly descend to allow the sun to do it's age-old job. The mountain was high and getting up there would be hard, but it was nothing that his superjump couldn't handle! With great force, he pushed up and was thrown into mid-air. He landed with a tumble in a cart full of mangos and frightened the ditsy shopkeeper.

"What in Parskeet's name is that?!"

The insect leaned over what remained of his fruit stand and saw Chance dizzily stand on his feet.

The shopkeeper crossed his four arms, "pppffftt. Damn dragons."

Chance heard that remark but he thought nothing of it. He turned to the shopkeeper and, with a smile, he said, "I'll get my parents to fix your cart when I return to them."

The insect glared at the child. His fly-like wings fluttered rapidly with his climbing anger, "I'll send my soul to Jacqueline before I trust you trouble-making dragons," he pounded his hand on his broken desk, "please, leave my sight!"

Chance shook his head and walked away.

Most of the Crotonians took on human forms like all the other alien races on Earth. The city was diverse with different nationalities, but under the human skin, muscle and bone was an alien in disguise. The city reminded Chance of the graceful Camelot, the city where his mother's friend, Arthur, called home. Red banners of the Crotonian emblem, a gold Red Wasp, hung from every window of the old houses. The streets were congested with pedestrians and carriages. The elite men wore capes, frock coats, vests lined with gold and knee breeches. The elite females wore lavish gowns with lavish designs on the skirt front. The bodices were lined with the best linen their currency could buy and the sleeves were made of the purest silk from Albion city. The poor females wore simple gowns that fitted with purple and pink bows. The poor men wore regular trousers or breeches and shirts that the elite wouldn't dare touch.

Chance felt like one of the nobles, except he had been dirtied from wandering and looked more like a panhandler. People stared at him, especially the nobles. Every so often a dragon wanders into Crota and wishing he never did, but a child had never wandered into their precious town...or so it was told.

He went up to various carts and asked the shopkeepers questions like, "may I have a piece of bread? Do you have anything I can eat? I need food, can you please spare some?"

They gave him the same rejections, "I'm sorry but I can't help a dragon. No! get out of here, you runt! If I help you, I'll get lynched. No, no and ABSOLUTELY NOT! We're closed for the day! I don't give service to horny lizards."

Chance sat on the sidewalk, covering his face with his arms, leaned over, his face buried and crying.

They need to smile.

He kept telling himself that.

They need to smile.

He wandered to a lone tree where he rested under the grace of it's leafs. He closed his eyes, hoping he'll wake up at home.


	3. Take a Chance

Year: 1537

He was Chan in the morning, a nickname given to him by his maid.

He was Change in the night, standing atop the hill that overlooked the city.

He was Chance in knee breeches, a red cape and a black peacoat

He was Chance, the boy whom wouldn't stop until you smiled.

He slept under a tree and woke up from the bright sunlight. He sat up, feeling groggy. A loud rumble in his stomach signaled his hunger.

The scornful looks of the observers gave him the thought that they might be jealous. Maybe that's why nobody wanted to give him food. The jealousy of the inhabitants marred good will!

Or maybe not.

He went to a fisherman shopkeeper. The man tipped his hat and said, "top o the morning, young lass!"

'Lass? What's a lass?' wondered Chance. He asked, "where am I?"

The fisherman held out his arms and proudly said, "Crota! The best and first outdoor hive and Crotonian city!"

"Hive?" wondered Chance. He heard his mother talk about those. He knew Crotonians lived in hives but this city didn't sport a dome of any kind. Maybe it is the hivemind that the fisherman speaks of.

"You be a Crotonian, right?" asked the Fisherman. Before Chance could answer the man said, "well I have lots of delicious fish! Freshly caught yesterday. Shall I fry one up for you? If so, what would like it fried in? Bergrundy Juice, Dragon Juice or Red Wine?"

Chance was about to answer when the man interrupted again, "I think Bergrundy Juice best suits you, little boy. Red wine is not suitable for a boy of your…" he scratched his chin as he scanned Chance from head to tie with his eyes, "…structure."

The fisherman went into his tiny hut behind the wooden stand. In a small corner, he crouched in front of a pile of chopped wood and created a fire.

Chance said to the fisherman, "I'm not a Crotonian!"

But the fisherman couldn't hear him over the hiss of steam that exploded from his frying platter. Chance decided to stand and wait.

Several minutes later the fisherman came back out. Chance smelled the delicious scent of fried fish prepared in Burgundy Juice. All thoughts of confession were thrown away as the fisherman presented the fish to him.

It looked so good!

It was crispy and golden brown on the outside, and he could only guess the white meat on the inside would taste as sweet as it smells.

"Do I have to pay?" he asked.

"No not at all," said the Fisherman.

He wrapped the fish in rice paper and gave it to Chance. Smiling as brightly as ever, Chance took the fish and said, "Grazie! Grazie!"

"What?"

Chance skipped away, leaving the Fisherman in a confused state.

Chance devoured the fish, savoring each bite.

"This is so good!" he squealed!

"I'll save the other half for later," he said as he wrapped the remainder of the fish. "This town isn't so bad."

"Is that boy…a dragon?" wondered the Fisherman as he gazed at the boy standing out in the crowd. His heart began to pound in his chest. "Oh no! That boy…bless his soul…he'll be taken! I must save him."

The fisherman shouted, "HEY! YOU! COME BACK!"

Chance looked back and saw the fisherman coming towards him. Feeling fearful, he ran for his life. He ran past the carriages and pushed through the nobles, but the fisherman was in hot pursuit. Chance sped down the alleyways and…

"OW!"

He crashed into another boy.

This unknown boy rubbed his head as he stood to his feet. He scoffed at the stain on his dark green coat. He glared at Chance, whom muttered, "sorry."

There were two other boys that sported blue hair and were sitting atop a broken crate. They whispered things to each other.

Chance pointed to the stain, "Is that blue paint?"

"Yes it is," said the boy with the green coat in an aggravated tone and an odd European accent, "and you made me spill it on my favorite coat!"

Chance backed away, "I'm sorry. You know, if you paint your name on the wall with blue paint, it'll grant you good luck."

The boy scoffed, "I know that. What else would I be doing with it? And who in God's name are you?"

Chance didn't want to answer. He picked up his wrapped fish. The boy snatched it from him like a cat swiping a dog.

"Hey!"

"Dragons aren't allowed here. You shouldn't eat our food, either!"

Chance reached for the fish but the boy held it high.

"Give it back!" he pleaded, "I was saving that!"

"Maybe you should give it to him," said one of the blue-haired boys.

"Give it back! It's mine!"

"Kasiliev Malchik, give that boy his fish."

The boy was a little intimidated at the sight of the fisherman.

"Eh, Fisherman Biondi, I'm sorry," said the boy. He gave Chance the fish and backed away.

'Kasiliev?' wondered Chance, 'is he Russian?'

The fisherman turned his attention to Chance and said, "I've been looking all over for you!"

Chance stepped back as the fisherman came nearer. He ran off into the streets, causing yet another chase.

"he's weird," said one of the blue-haired boys as they watched.

Chance managed to lose the fisherman when he hid behind a pastry cart. He watched the fisherman look around and he did not come out until he was sure the fisherman was gone from his sights.

He blew a sigh and ate the rest of the fish. Saving it for later was out of the option. He was still very hungry.

He gazed at the mini cakes, scones, tarts and frosted cookies on display. His heart began to long for a taste of a sugar cookie or snickerdoodle. The taste of cinnamon baked into vanilla bread and topped with blue icing was too hard to resist. Before he knew what he was doing, he had the cookie in his hands and was about to take a bite.

"You don't need to steal."

He froze with fear.

Staring at him was a poor dark-haired woman. Her face showed sincerity and loveliness, something he had seen his mother project every time she looked at him.

"All you need to do is ask." she said.

Chance nodded and said, "can I have this cookie?"

"Yes, you may."

"thank you!"

He smiled sweetly as he took a bite, sinking his teeth into the sugary sweetness.

"I risk being lynched and skinned by helping you, but it doesn't bother me so much. So, are you an orphan?" she asked. Her tone was sounding serious and accusatory.

He shook his head.

"A pariah?" she wondered.

He shrugged.

Finally he answered, "I am a dragon."

"Ah, I see."

Her voice loosened up, "that means you wandered here. I'm sure the shopkeepers have yelled mean things to you, am I right?"

He nodded, still eating the cookie.

"I'm sorry for that. We Crotonians are nice, really."

He nodded again before wandering off.

'where does he think he's going?' she wondered.

He sat on the sidewalk, still holding the cookie to his mouth with both hands. He felt a droplet of jealousy as he watched the nobles pass by in their carriages. They all went about their daily lives, too afraid to peek out of the cradle of their life and step into somebody else's. He could almost feel their cold gazes. Their eyes, all locked onto him. He wanted to poke their eyes out with a fork. He didn't want them looking at him.

"huh?"

Looking up, he saw the same woman from a minute ago standing right behind him.

Hands on her hips, she asked, "Do you need a home?"

He nodded.

"You can stay in my cottage for today only. My Other is returning tomorrow and he doesn't take kindly to dragons."

Chance smiled and said, "grazie!"

His adorable smile tugged at her heart.

She gave him a slice of melon bread and said, "I don't want you to feel downed by everyone."

She sat beside him on the sidewalk and watched him devour the piece of bread. She was a beautiful lady in standard Crotagirl attire: a sleeveless dark purple gown made from shimmering velvet. The bodice was lined with black silk just like the other corners of her dress. It was stained but she managed to clean 'em out and wear a purple apron. The gown was a gift from her loving husband (Other). Her hair was tied up into a bow, which looked unusual. She was beautiful because of her plainness.

Chance wrapped his small arms around her waist and hugged tightly. She never had a child before, so when this unknown boy hugged her, it gave new meaning to her life. She rubbed his long wavy-and-curly hair. She couldn't refrain from kissing him on the forehead.

"You were hungry, weren't you?" asked Causa.

Chance nodded, "yes, I really was. Nobody would give me anything, but this fisherman was really nice and gave me fried fish but it was not enough."

"They're probably afraid…" Causa blindly stared at the sky, looking into the void.

"Scared of what?" asked Chance.

"The Princess and her lawmakers. This hive has no Queen, only a king and his daughter and sons: the Princess and the Princes. They ban any type of consortment with dragons. Last time somebody talked to a dragon, they were burned in the city central."

Chance didn't want to hear such a thing at this early hour.

"Why can't they smile?" he asked.

"What? Of course they smile!" Causa giggled, "we're not all devoid of emotion."

Chance shook his head, "their souls are sad. I can feel the aura they give off. They need to possess a smile in it's p-p-purest form."

He took an abandoned mandolin from the trash and tuned it to his liking. When he sang, Causa wondered, "how old is this boy?"

She followed along as he sung his tune. Four other Crotonians had joined in: a drummer from a giftshop, two violinists from a music shop and an acoustic guitarist from a cafe. With Causa following behind, a small parade had formed. The dragonboy sang for everyone to smile.

They crossed by a cafe, where two observers watched them with intent.

"Look at where he landed."

"Yes, I see."

"Tell our friend, Scuro, that he can have my seat in the Council. It's about time we paid him for a job well done."

"I will get to it, sir!"

A wicked smile crossed his face as he hissed, "perfecto."

Credente smiled and said, "the kingdom of the black void will be resurrected soon. You can guarantee it, Mysh. That boy does not realize how strong he is."

Mysh replied, "let us depart before the mayor finds out we are here."

They stood from their seats, and as they left Credente said, "I heard the hive king is more notorious than I am."

"Isn't that a good thing? That means less focus on you."

Credente chuckled. Not answering Mysh's question.

At the end of the joyful song, Causa and Chance returned to their original spot.

"That was fun!" she giggled.

"what's your name?" she asked him as they walked back to her cottage.

"Chanceus, but my mama calls me Chance." he said.

"Awwww, how adorable!"

Chance muttered, "it's not adorable! I must be a strong dragon like my brother, Ashuton."

"I still believe it be cute. My name is Causa. I think it is Italian."

"Can I have another cookie?" asked Chance.

"Of course!"

The interior of her cottage consisted of two mattresses on the floor, a fire-powered chimney stove, a wooden table with two chairs and a bunch of cooking items spread around on shelves. She, like all the other shopkeepers, lived in the center of Crota's market district. Chance pointed to a group of large eggs bundled in a blanket and asked, "are those cooking eggs?"

"Cooking eggs?" Causa giggled, "goodness! No! Those are my babies. It's not time for them to hatch yet. They'll be my first!"

"Oh."

Chance remembered reading about female Crotonians laying eggs. The resulting offspring were almost always female. The girls would be released to grow on their own, absorbing the world around them. When they reached adulthood and proved to be formidable foes to the Queen, they would battle each other. The winning female becomes the Queen's protégé. If they were male, they would be sent off to the Queen's castle to become her bachelors. They would learn about life from her and her male servants. When old enough, they would help her populate the hive's next generation. Chance remembered some Dragons preferred to care for their children rather than hand them off to the world.

"You can use my husband's bed. It's the one on the left," she said as she tended to the bowl of cake mix.

"Is it husband or Other?" asked Chance.

"What?"

"The one you're married to, you called him your Other. That's a dragon term," said Chance, "and now you're using human terms and calling him your husband. Which is it?"

Causa shrugged, "both, I guess."

Chance wanted to fall asleep, right then and there. The cottage smelt of sweet pastry. The soft popping of the fire sent him straight to dreamland.

"Stop this insolence!"

"Let me in!"

"There is no dragon in here!"

"We have witnesses saying you brought a dragon in here. Now stand aside."

"There is no dragon!"

Chance rubbed his eyes as the loud noises woke him from his slumber.

"There is no dragon in here!"

That was Causa's voice.

Feeling afraid, Chance backed away into the corner.

'Is the whole cottage surrounded?' he wondered.

He peeked out the window and quickly fell back. There was an angry mob of shopkeepers with pitchforks surrounding Causa's cottage. Alongside them were the nobles, whom were heavily armed with Cosmorifles, a standard Crotonian weapon. He could run out of there in his dragon form and escape…but they had Cosmorifles! He knew enough from observing his father's battles that flying when the enemy had a Cosmorifle was a big no-no. The weapons were deadly accurate and its heat rounds could tear a dragon's wings.

"What should I do?" he muttered.

He saw the fire in the chimney was out, so he did what any sane boy would do.

The doors flung open as Lyle Reinbach Steiner, the prince of the hive, stepped in with his brothers Johnny Mack and Clef Grame following behind.

Lyle brushed his right hand through his tousled hair. He bit one of his many rings as he wondered where the mystery dragon could be hiding.

Clef, the Goth wearing the black cloak, breathed in deeply, "he's beeeeeen heeeerrrreeee," he said.

Lyle dug into the pocket of his blue coat and withdrew his pocket watch.

"It's half past nine. A dragon's scent is most strong around this time," with a confident smirk he said, "sniff him out, boys."

Johnny Mack and Clef began sniffing the air. The smell of pastries was very strong.

"Hey, if this woman is accused of harboring a dragon," Johnny Mack began as he took a pastry from the table, "can we take her home with us? I love her pastries!"

"You steal it, you buy it," said Lyle.

Johnny Mack sighed and left a gold coin on the table.

"The pastry smell is too strong!" said Clef, "I cannot smell anything but sweets!"

*mew*

"Wait! Stop!" Lyle held out his hand.

*achoo!*

"Did you hear that?" he asked.

"Yeah, it sounded like someone said mew," said Clef.

"Nobody spoke, you fool! That was a sneeze!" Lyle's famous smirk broke out. He pointed to the chimney, "in there! Our dragon is in the chimney!"

Chance felt scared beyond belief as they came nearer. He looked down and saw Johnny Mack staring him in the face.

"He's in there!" he shouted.

Chance quickly shifted forms as he skittered up the chimney. His claws couldn't get a tight grip on the bricks and the dust prevented his paws from sticking.

"Grab his tail," said Lyle as he twirled the gold chain of his pocketwatch.

"leave me alone!" cried Chance, "I've done nothing to you!"

Johnny Mack grabbed his tail and pulled. Chance's claws made a loud screech against the brick as he desperately tried to hold on.

"Got him!" said Johnny when he emerged with Chance in his arms.

"Ugly lizard," muttered Lyle, "we'll let Father deal with you."

In a futile attempt, Chance jumped into his human form and leapt from Johnny's arms and ran past Lyle. Clef was able to grab him with ease. He held him there as Lyle came to him.

Lyle crouched down to Chance's level.

"Who the hell are you?" he asked.

"I…" Chance faltered and began to shiver, "I was just passing through."

"Yes, you were." Said Johnny Mack with a deep inhale. He released smoke from his pursed lips, "Fireboy."

He glared at Chance with hungry green eyes, "what shall we do with this dragon? hang him?" he leaned in, taunting Chance with his smoke, "reap him of his...innocence?"

"Hold on," Lyle gestured to him, "keep your cool."

"I…I was just leaving," said Chance.

"I'm sure you were," Lyle grabbed the boy by his hair, almost relishing in the child's pain, "is this what got my brother killed? I'll make you pay for the crimes of your kin, stupid dragon."

They came out with Chance, now in his human form and dusty.

"No! You leave him alone!" shouted Causa as she tried to pry the boy from Johhny's arms.

"Clef, restrain her." ordered Lyle.

"What in Paraskeet's name is going on here?"

The boys stopped when they heard the voice of the hive king: a tall silver-haired beauty with square-framed spectacles, a coat as red as blood (with gold buttons and cuffs! Oh la la!), long hair that gleamed of silver and blue eyes as bright as neon. He looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties, but his true age encompassed thousands of years. He tipped his tophat to the gushing girls as he passed by. He pointed his cane at Lyle and asked, "just how many dragons have you killed this week?"

Lyle released the child and said, "papa, I have to kill them, in memory of brother."

Overture replied sternly, "No, you don't. I have told you repeatedly that any dragon that walks in here is my property, not yours."

"So, are you coming to arrest him?" asked Lyle.

"No," Overture smiled at Causa and Chance, "I've come to rescue him."

Chance tugged Causa's arm and asked, "who is that man?"

Causa whispered with worry in her tone, "he is the Hive King. He sees all that goes on in the hive."

She feared him.

Chance could feel it.

"Take heed, I will take care of things from here." said Overture.

Lyle knew what this meant. With slight reluctance, he left Overture to tend to the duo.

"Thank you," said Causa.

"No," Overture showed his pearl-white teeth in a strange smile, "thank you."


	4. House of Wasps

Overture, the man in the red-velvet waistcoat and Mayor's Cape, led the nervous couple, Causa and Chance, to his stagecoach. The seats were red micro-fiber and extremely soft to touch. Such exquisite material could only be obtained by Future Warpers.

Chance sat by the window, and Causa sat parallel to Overture. She threw on her best smile, which was fake but promising. During the ride, curious Overture asked various questions.

"I am glad to have found you. Tell me, where are you from?" he asked Chance.

Chance tapped his lips as he thought, "umm…I'm from…Spain!"

Overture chuckled at the child's enthusiastic answer, "that is very good. I have friends in Barcelona."

He looked to Causa and asked, "and what about you? What is your story? I can hardly believe such a pretty face ended up poor."

She clutched the velvet of her dark purple dress. Her eyes met his, and he felt a deep sensation in his body.

"I am a victim of the Yansake Kuruga," she said.

This caught Overture by surprise.

"they tried to make me a Vampyre. If it were not for Ser Celman, my life would be worthless." she said, speaking in a strong tone.

"Ah, Ser Celman, he worked as my knight." said Overture.

Causa's cheeks flushed rose-red, "yes. He is my Other—err—husband."

Overture turned his attention back to the idle dragonboy. He leaned towards Chance and nudged his glasses up his nose, "what is it like? To be a dragon?"

Chance innocently shrugged, "I dunno. I get very hot or cold sometimes, and when I try to use my powers, my back aches."

Overture shook his head, "No, no, no. When you are not in human form, how do you—"

"Oh!" Chance pointed up, "I can fly really fast! My scales are blue or…black? I forgot, and and and they feel bumpy, and sometimes I fart when I breathe fire!"

Overture's expression was blank as he stared at the boy in confusion.

"Never mind." he said.

Causa beamed brightly, "Isn't he cute?"

Their arrival at the manor was twenty-three minutes after five in the morning. The new guests were met with celebration from Overture's servants. The servants amassed themselves into a marching band and threw confetti as the trio walked inside.

"All of this for us?" asked Causa.

Overture smirked, "Anything for a dragon and a Crotonian."

Causa and Chance could not believe it was true. The mansion was exquisite: its wallpaper was a flamboyant yellow and green. Statues of wasps clouded most of the lovely manor and the inhabitants were happy-go-lucky (except for a select few). The female servants wore sleeveless gowns similar to Causa's, but theirs were black and blue.

The men wore tophats and black suits lined with silver cloth.

"It's another dragon," muttered one of the younger women.

"Look at how cute he is!" said another.

"He'll bring in lots of money," said another beside her.

Taking it as a compliment, Chance happily skipped beside Causa.

Chance loved the smiling faces and the wonderful remarks from the Crotonian residents. Chance spotted a blue-haired boy glaring at him from the winding staircase. Chance thought nothing of it.

Overture went to the receptionist desk and wrote on the clipboard.

"You two can stay upstairs," he said. The dormitories on the first floor were for Crotonians. There were many of them, but they were not allowed on the second floor (the rooms upstairs). The upstairs dormitories were home to a vast amount of children and teenagers. Not a single one of them were Crotonian. Chance found this a bit off-putting.

Chance wondered why a city that hated dragons would house them in their King's house.

Overture did not set the rule to ban dragons from his town, but the townspeople's natural hatred of the majestic flying beasts seemed to stem from the Millennia War.

"Papa!"

Overture held his arms out as his daughter, clad in a pink gown with a delicate powdered wig, tackled him in a hug.

Causa whispered to Chance, "That's the first princess."

"First?" wondered Chance.

"There's three of them," whispered Causa.

"Did you bring me a new friend?" asked the girl.

"Yes, I did, but I do not think he is in the mood to play." said Overture.

The girl flashed her wide eyes at Chance and said, "daddy, he is lovely! Why can't I play with him?"

Overture sighed, "He needs to rest and is in serious need of a bath."

"But daddy!"

Chance interrupted, "Sir, I can play with her if she really wa—"

"YAAAAAAAAAAAYYYY!"

Next thing he knew she was squeezing the life out of him in a tight hug.

Chance managed to speak through constricted breaths, "You're...really...strong."

Overture watched intently as Chance ran around the narcissus garden with Merrybell following behind. Tag was an old favorite of Chance's. He often played it with his brothers back at home. Memories overflowed sweetly as he remembered running as fast as he could to outrun Rico and Ashuton. No matter how fast he went, the two always managed to tag him. Skytag was another story!

Right here and now, as he chased after Merrybell, he was reminded of those blissful days.

"Now they'll both need a bath," said Overture.

Gusts of wind whispered through the trees and bushes. Causa opened her arms wide as the sweet air embraced her.

She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath of fresh air, "Everything is so pure."

Overture watched her, feeling nostalgic for the days when his mother was around. There was calmness about Causa that he secretly loved.

Overture's castle was perched atop the city's mini mountain. Unlike the rest of the city, it was touched by the freshest air that carried the scent of the pine forest that surrounded the enchanting city of Crota.

Back inside the castle, Merrybell ran to her handmaid, Porcella, and said, "Daddy told me to take a bath! Can you warm the Spickleberries for me?"

"Of course I can, sweetie," Porcella said with a smile.

Chance held Causa and Overture's hands as they walked down the corridors of the second floor.

"Why are dragons here?" asked Chance.

"Hmm…" Overture smiled again, showing those pearly-whites, "they were wanderers and I took them in. I fed them, clothed them, bathed them, watched over them in their times of need and I became their only father."

Causa grimaced, "did you say you bathed them?"

Overture's smile disappeared, "it is not what you are thinking, my dear."

"so what is the ratio of dragon wanderers and owl wanderers?" asked Causa. By this time Chance had stopped listening. He slipped from their hands and was drawn to a cracked door. He could hear something odd.

Looking back at the two, they were still chatting like a pair of teenage girls gossiping about the color of some-boy's scales.

He gently (very gently) opened the cracked door a little wider to get a better view. He could not understand what he was seeing.

Chance recognized the Russian boy from earlier when he was in the alleyway. He was sitting on a bed, giggling, as a man had his face buried between his legs. The boy let out a deep sigh, stroking the man's back with his foot. Chance saw a shiny new machete in the boy's hand, and he covered his mouth as the boy jammed the cleaver into the man's neck! He pushed with such force that blood jutted out. The boy laughed heartily and said, "call me dragon whore again, you worthless pig!"

The Russian glared at Chance, casting coldness into the tiny Peeping Tom.

Chance stumbled, his heart beating like a raging pony. He got up and ran back to the safety of Overture and Causa.

"What's wrong?" asked Causa.

"I-I-I-I-I-I," Chance shuddered as he tried to spit the words out.

Overture opened the doors to the luxurious bathroom. The floors were oakwood, the window expelled wonderful amounts of sunshine, the changing panels were decorated with the emblem of a Dragon, and the tub itself was like a large porcelain bowl. It was another gift from the gracious Future Warpers.

"Well, I believe it is time for your bath," he said. He said to Causa, "I am guessing you know your way around the bathroom. Do clean him well."

Causa scrubbed the dust off his back and coated it with soap just like she did to the rest of him. With the special hair-cleaning gel, she gently massaged the dirt from his hair.

"That feels really great," he swooned.

She giggled at his cuteness.

Overture barged in with a bunch of clothes in hand.

"I brought you these. Pick one that you like. If you love them all, you can have 'em," he said.

"Thank you," said Chance as he showed that famous beaming smile of his.

Overture stood motionless for a moment.

_Such an adorable smile._

_The gods have been gracious to drop him at my doorstep._

"Right." his mind began to wander, but quickly he regained it, "your room is 305 until I can find you a suitable roommate."

Chance thought about how long he would stay in Overture's care. There was something oddly immersive about this place.

Causa held up a bucket of water and dumped it on Chance's head!

"Here comes the waterfall!" she shouted.

"HEY!"

Chance's expression was a pouty scowl.

"Come on, get out of there. Bathtime is over." She said playfully.

Tiredness began to take over quicker than a honeybee.

Chance and Causa were in Room 305, which was a fairly nice room. A bed with puketastic green covers, rectangular windows and a nightstand with three books. Causa curiously picked up a book titled "The Dragon Whores of The Black Void." It was filled with interesting and rather gruesome illustrations depicting dragon shifters, most of them boys, in odd situations. She closed the book, feeling disturbed.

Wrapped in Causa's arms, he was slowly falling asleep.

She began to wonder about her own precious egglings.

"Do you want to see my office?"

Chance opened his eyes and saw Overture standing in the doorway, smiling and looking smug.

He plopped up excitedly, "Sure!"

"Come this way!"

Going down the claustrophobic hallways, Chance and Overture walked side by side quietly until they reached two big doors at the end of the hallway. Causa followed behind cautiously. The paintings on the hallway walls depicted dark and foreboding scenes:

A dragon chained, its scales being ripped at,

A knight being lifted off his horse as a Crotonian thrust its hand through his armor,

A girl killing herself by allowing a snake to clamp its maw around her tiny neck,

And a boy with dragon wings being followed by the snakes of wrath.

The one painting that caught her attention was a man being crucified.

It pained her to look upon the painting, so he turned her eyes away.

The silver-haired human-disguised Crotonian thrust the doors open to reveal his living quarters.

"This is my office. My casa, my domicile, my humble abode!"

He went to his desk and rubbed the soft surface.

"My ancient desk was crafted three-hundred years ago from Redwood, a plant native to my homeworld. My father had it imported here so that I may use it like he once did."

Chance's stomach started growling.

"I'm…um…"

Overture finished his sentence, "Hungry? Do not be afraid to ask. My servant Kasiliev will bring you refreshments."

He forcefully rang the little handbell and a young boy stepped in. He looked too foreign to originate from Crota. He wore black breeches and a white waistcoat that had the emblem of a Polistes Red Wasp and a Xiyu Dragon embroiled on the front. His hair was pulled back behind his ears, making him look different from most of the dragon boys in the house.

He was very quiet, not a single word uttered from his lips when he held out the bowl of refreshments. Chance wondered as he took a bite of the mini tuna sandwich, "why doesn't he smile?"

That boy, Kasiliev, looked like an outsider to Chance.

He sensed they were much alike, holding the same feelings of depression and hopelessness. That is the main reason why Chance wants everyone he sees to smile vibrantly like the eternal glow of a star.


	5. The Warning

Kasiliev became the servant to call on. He was there when Overture needed red wine and crackers to share with his newfound child. Kasiliev's worries grew in size. After he served Overture the expensive Italian dragon tea, he watched in fear as the Crotonian threw his arm around the little boy's shoulder.

Days, weeks and now a single month has passed. Chance became closer…closer to his Hive King.

On a night when the wasps fluttered and banged at the window, Kasiliev dropped his platter when he saw Overture whisper something in the boy's ear, just like he had done to him. He new what was coming next. He dashed for the door, not wanting to relive that trauma again.


	6. Absyntop

_ (Song: Virtutes Instrumenti by Kevin MacLeod, CC-BY)_

_Year: 1537_

"I have lived a tragic life," said Overture, sipping the lukewarm Dragon Juice.

"You have?" asked Chance.

"Yes. When I was younger, this older man saved my life."

Chance sipped the tea as he listened intently. Looking up at Overture, he saw the silver gleams in his hair that were caused by the light of the moon.

"He fed me as I was dying. The moment I tasted the golden apple, I felt renewed. He gave me more and nursed me back to health."

Chance was bemused, "really?"

"Yes. I was a young King at the time, but my Hive had been annihilated by my brother's in a colony war. When Credente came to me, I thought I was in heaven."

He sat his tea on the nightstand. Urges crept up. Heart beats became quicker. Sins unfolded. Overture wanted this little dragon.

"You are beautiful, has anyone told you that?"

Causa was sleeping soundly on the right side of the bed. Chance was still sipping his tea, but when Overture made a sudden advance, he dropped the tea cup. He tea spilled onto the carpet as he shouted in defense.

The happy child, the sad child...

The abused child, the sanctified child...

Overture gripped the pale boy by his shoulders, basking in the scent of the child's curled and wavy hair

"Mister Overture…" Chance struggled to push him away.

Wallowed up in whisks of air,

Blind to the privy of his caretaker

Apprehended by the neck, struggling

Wriggling arms and legs to break free

The Deceiver threw the shifter boy onto the purple blood bed

Futile to resistance but not open to consent, Chance had no escape

Overture was stronger than him, as adults always were towards a child

He screamed for his Causa to rescue him

"Stop it, please!"

Causa sat up, yawning her tiredness away. When she saw Overture holding down Chance, licking the boy's neck like a deprived puppy, she went into full alert.

"What are you doing to that boy?" she asked, the powerful anger of her gaze challenging him.

"He is mine," said Overture defensively, "and I will see to it that he remains in my grasp!"

Causa launched herself at him, the two went stumbling to the floor. She bit into his neck, trying her hardest to quickly empty Overture of his valuable blood.

Overture hissed in a voice of distortion, "You...dare...kill me?"

He shifted into his medium-sized alien form, snapping Causa in his jaws. She scratched at him, her fingers turning into claws.

"I will not allow you to hurt my boy!"

Overture launched her against the wall, and he spoke threateningly, "you dare kill your King? I will make sure your punishment is raw and unmerciful."

"Causa!" Chance screamed and cried for her. He reached his hand out to the woman he cared about, "Causa save me!"

Chance turned his attention to Overture. He backed away, turning into his dragonself. Overture yanked the little dragon by his horns, bringing him closer.

"You will remain in my servitude as my whore!" he hissed, throwing fear into Chance's heart.

"Stop it! I will am not yours!"

His chest started to glow a vibrant blue color. Overture felt a shock in his arms.

"Ow!" he fell backwards from the power of the shock. Now in his human form, his powers were on a temporary lockdown. Chance stood before him, an orange glow simmering in his maw. He was ready to unleash some fire.

"Do it! Kill me!" Overture pleaded, "Kill me, please!"

He hugged Chance's neck as he cried and leaked tears.

"Kill me, please! I have wronged so many! I try to make things right, but Annabel won't let me go!"

Chance looked deep into Overture's eyes, which were a soft green color.

"Please, kill me so I can rest! Kill me so I won't hurt anymore boys!"

Suddenly he drew back, snickering.

"Ha ha ha! Kill me, why don't you? Kill me?" his eyes turn gold as he cackled, "ha ha! He whines so much!"

He turned and grabbed Chance by the neck, his grasp became tighter than a python's.

"Please..."

Causa mustered the strength to perform a sneak attack, kicking his legs and hitting his head, causing him to become displaced! Causa beckoned Chance and the two ran for the door.

It slammed open, and the two stopped in their tracks. Lyle, Johnny Mack and Clef were standing there with smirks on their faces.

Merrybell stood between them, her eyes casting a scornful gaze at the scene.

"The princess says her prince stays here," said Lyle.

"If I remember right, you hate dragons." said Causa.

"I do, but this one's getting what he deserves," said Lyle as he smirked at Chance.

Causa went into defense mode, holding Chance close as the three princes surrounded her. Fighting was useless. She slashed and clawed, but they grabbed her by both arms and hauled her away.

"Causa? Causa!" Chance screamed for her, "Please! Don't take her!"

"Yes, don't take her." Overture stood, brushing dust from his face.

"Chain her to the wall," he said, "let her watch her precious son become deflowered."

Horror slowly grew upon Causa's face. The thought of being forced to watch him kill this boy was unbearable.

"No! No! No! No! No!"

She kicked and thrashed and clawed as Lyle and Johnny held her in place.

The purple covers, stained with blood that blends

She tried closing her eyes, but they made her watch

_"Causa, aiuto! Aiuto!"_

His shrill screams were deafening to hear

It was the true pain that he was experiencing

_"Stop it!"_

She screamed, screaming her anger and pain at Overture.

"Let him go! Please!"

As his screams became louder, shrill, filled with pain

_"Aiuto!"_

Overture tore at the clothing, throwing it like as if it were nothing

With such brute force, he tore away everything

Revealing a cream-white moon-kissed body that had been untouched until now.

"Such deliciousness," he said as his mouth watered.

Spit dripped from his mouth as he took in the sight.

Chance looked at him, wondering…

'What is he doing?'

and finally he screamed when he felt it

Causa's eyes welled with tears

blood dripped in splotches

Little Chanceus was having his innocence reaped by Overture.

The silver-haired deceiver kissed and licked and fucked to his heart's content

And to Chance it felt like fire

Causa stopped screaming, lowering her head

She felt her soul disappear

In the end, Johnny, Lyle and Clef released her

She slid down, wallowing in despair

Causa leaked more tears of fear when the sudden abuse towards her precious dragonboy stopped

They took her away, leaving Chance with Overture

The door remained locked for the remainder of the night


	7. Breathe, Crash and Burn

Chanceus felt the last piece of sanity ripple out of him. He cannot move, his arms and legs non-responding to the mental call. So he lays there, the flow of blood dirtying the purple bedsheets.

He's still thinking about what just happened.

He still cannot believe the man he trusted betrayed him in such a manner.

He turned his head, throwing his sight at the female Cicada on the wall. She was voiceless, like all female cicadas.

The other side of himself—his dragon side—wanted to rip that man to shreds, but Chanceus cannot shift forms in this dire moment. His heart was too broken. To break the heart of a dragonchild is the same as taking the life of a human.

Chance finally emerged from the bed, but movement made him dizzy. He wanted to hurl, to spill the contents of that moment onto the floor.

But he cannot run into the past and erase the abuse.

All he has to do now is think about his future.

He fell to the ground, coughing as he felt his breathing become constricted.

Chanceus—or Chance for short—came to this city in hopes that he would find a way back home to his mother. Amidst the aristocrats in their fancy clothes, shopkeepers with their food carts, amidst wobbly stagecoaches holding important political figures, amidst all the power conduits surrounding the Gregorian castle, was Overture, city mayor and Crotonian hive king.

Crota was one big hive that Chanceus wandered into.

The Crotonians of the city had taken human disguises just like the dragons. To Chance, Overture looked absolutely stunning.

Overture was hive king of the city. All of the Crotonians looked up to him and loved him. His high status could be seen clearly with his long hair of silver.

Chance remembers the look on his face when he found him.

Overture tilted his glasses, examining the dragon prince.

Chance used his human form, choosing to walk around as a boy. This human form reflected his true age and held his innocence. He was a nervous boy, wearing a black peacoat and black breeches. His hair was shoulder-length and his eyes were the brightest of green. This boy was lost…and delectable.

Standing beside him was a poor woman—a Crotonian shopkeeper wearing a purple velvet gown. It didn't make sense for her to be there. Dragons and Crotonians never get along. There is always tension between the two races.

But what he saw here was not tension. It was love. Love that needed to be extinguished.

Overture invited them into his castle, promising a home to Chance.

What Chance received was neither home nor love.

He became the facet of desires.

Chanceus took the first step out of the bed. His vision was swirling, the room seemed to swim in multiples of two. He stumbled to his knees, his fists clenching. He unleashed a scream that voiced all of his fury and rage.

"Why? Why did this happen to me?" he cried.

Lightly, in a low tone only he could hear, he whispered, "I want my mama. I want to go home."

Back home to the city of elegance: Rome. Back there with his dark skinned mother and Italian father. Back there where his hundreds of brothers and sisters waited. He wanted to go back to Italia where all the dragons and Crotonians are free.

He looked up at the moon, the light caressing his bare body. It felt almost like his mother cradling him in comfort.

Outside this castle, the power conduits were emitting blue lights, sparking electricity every now and then.

Chance retreated to the bed, turning his face away from the window. He cradled himself in a fetal position, mentally reliving the hell he wanted to forget.

The door creaked open. His heart began to beat fast. Was it him?

"Hi,"

It was Kasiliev, the Russian. He had been in Overture's care longer than Chance but went through the same hell. Him and all the other children of the house were subject to devilish desires.

"Hi," Chance replied meekly.

"You're the new boy, right?" asked Kasiliev.

Chance nodded.

"He did it to you, didn't he?"

Chance nodded.

Kasiliev drew the covers over his broken friend.

"He's going to put you to work tomorrow," he said as he tucked him in.

"Work?" Chance wondered what kind of work was suppose to be done.

After a moment, Kasiliev finally said, "This is a whorehouse, Chance. Boys like us are put to work so he can make money and use us to birth more Crotonians," Kasiliev faltered. He started twisting the strands of his long hair, something he often did when he was nervous. He spoke again, his voice trembling with his emotions, "first he wants to make sure we're worthy before we're put to work."

Chance did not know what he meant, "Worthy?"

Kasiliev sighed, "you are full of one-liners, aren't you? What he did to you is his way of seeing how worthy you are," Kasiliev leaned in, whispering, "he wanted to see how much of a virgin you were."

Chance grimaced at this.

He has to go through it again?

"I don't want to work for him," he said.

"You have to. He'll take your powers and you'll have no way of escaping."

Chance grabbed Kasiliev by the shoulders and shook him.

"Can you help me escape? Please?"

Kasiliev looked away. This same thing happened to him many years ago. Escaping. There is no escape.

"I...I don't know," he said, "I don't have my dragon form! He took it from me."

Chance's hands lowered as he tried to comprehend the thought of someone taking your dragon form.

"No one can do that," said Chance, "your dragon form is a part of your body! It is who you are. There's no such thing! All he is doing is masking your powers! You can shift if you-"

"HE TOOK IT FROM ME!"

Chance welped at the ferocity of Kasiliev's scream.

"maybe...he masked your powers..." Chance said lightly, hoping not to hear Kasiliev scream again.

Kasiliev took another sigh, "maybe."

"help me," Chance gently held Kasiliev's delicate hand, "help me escape this place."

The boy was practically pleading. Kasiliev could see it in his eyes.

"there's a dropship in the watchtower," he said, "I see the workers hauling cargo onto it every night. I can get you out if the castle but that's it."

"Thank you!" Chance wrapped his arms around his new friend.

Chance felt odd in his old clothes

They held the memories of how he ended up in this place

As he and Kasiliev were about to leave, the door burst open and Overture came in. Kasiliev trembled slightly. Chance stood firm.

"There will be no unauthorized escaping," he said, "I see you've grown a linking to Kasiliev. You can stay with him and his friends."

Kasiliev scoffed under his breath.

Overture took Chance by the hand as he took him off to his new room.

Chance spotted a glimmer of Causa, her face dry with tears and rosy red. He mouthed her name, and all she could do was look on in pain.


End file.
